


Enterprise Youth Helpline

by AlyssiaInWonderland



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Angst, Coming Out, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Helplines, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Jim looks after his kids, LGBT+ Helplines, LGBTQ Themes, Leonard McCoy is a wonderful father, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood, Past Child Abuse, Radio, Tarsus IV, Therapy, nerf guns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 14:14:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13436499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlyssiaInWonderland/pseuds/AlyssiaInWonderland
Summary: Jim is the manager of the Enterprise LGBT+ Youth Helpline. A young girl named 'Jo' calls in, worried about coming out to her family.Or, the fic in which Joanna McCoy comes out as pan, Leonard is a protective darlin', and Jim would do just about anything to protect his kids.





	1. Making A Call

“Um, hi, sorry t’bother ya.” The girl’s voice was timid and quiet, and Jim had to strain to hear it.

“Hey there, it’s no trouble! I’m here to listen. I’m Jim. What do you want me to call you?” Jim kept his voice calm, friendly, as he twisted a necklace repeatedly around his fingers, grateful that this was a radio-show and didn’t have a visual feed that could reveal his anxious stimming.

“Um. Jo. You can call me Jo.” The girl’s voice wavered a little. “Sorry.”   
  
“Hey, no apologies needed. What’s up?”   
  
“Well, I wanna come out as pan. T’my Daddy.” Jo mumbled the words, her slight southern lilt coming out strongly through the phone connection.

“And you’re scared to tell him?” Jim half-asked, sympathetically. “I know it can be scary. Is there a particular reason you’re worried, sweetie?”   
  
“I c-came out ta my mother,” Jo said, her voice catching, tellingly cold on the word ‘mother’, making Jim wince. “An’ she told me-“ There was a tiny sob. “She told me it’s godless an’ I’ll grow outta it an’ I don’t want Daddy ta think the same! An’ I’ve listened to your show a lot an’ y’always give real good advice t’people who’re scared an’ it’s ‘spicitly LGBT+ friendly an’ it seemed like a good idea ta – ta call you.”   
  
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.” Jim bit his lip, achingly sad for the girl. “You know it’s not really a bad thing, right? It’s just that some people, they don’t quite understand, and people take out their lack of understanding as hate and fear. It’s alright to be pan.” He thought rapidly, considering the situation. 

If the mother had been so obviously homophobic, it seemed likely that the father was either wilfully ignorant, or just avoiding the situation entirely. While the girl appeared to be closer to her father, she was still nervous enough, and with the mother being so vicious to her own daughter, he decided he had to offer advice that assumed the father would be the same way. If he wasn’t then it would be a pleasant surprise, and if he was then she would be well prepared.

“Yeah. S’jus’ tricky ‘cause I didn’t think my mother’d be upset, but she was, an’ that made me worry ‘bout my Daddy too.” Jo sniffled a little, but sounded calmer after the comforting words.

“Yeah, I get that, Jo. It’s ok. What I would say, is to make sure you have a bag of some essentials, just some ID and a few changes of clothes, stuff that means you could stay overnight at a friend’s place if you need to. Tell a friend you trust and ask if you could maybe stay there if you need to. And then ask to meet your Daddy in a neutral place, like maybe a coffee shop, and tell him there. That way, if he gets upset or angry, you can go straight from there to your friend’s place while you figure this stuff out. Don’t be afraid to look up other resources on our website, we have a list of those – EnterpriseLBGTYouthHelpline.com. You could even write down what you want to say beforehand, so if you get scared you can give him the written thing. Does that feel like a good plan?” Jim prompted her, his tone soft.

“Yeah.” Jo took a deep breath, rustling the air on her phone’s microphone. “That’s a real good plan, Jim. Thanks. You – y’don’t think Daddy’ll be upset, do you?”   
  
“I don’t know, sweetie. But it’s always good to be prepared.”

“Like a scout!” Jo said, her tone brightening with a little humour.

“That’s right, Jo. Like a brave scout.” Jim smiled to himself, feeling inexplicably proud of the girl. “Feel free to call back if you ever need to, ok?”   
  
“Thanks, Jim. I ‘preciate it.”   
  
The call ended, and Jim sighed, stretching out before he continued speaking. 

“And that’s the last call for our session of Enterprise LGBT+ Youth Helpline tonight! As ever, our e-mail and online chat resources are available 24/7. I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the evening, and that you all stay safe.”   
  
Jim flipped the switch from ‘on air’ to ‘off’, and grabbed his mug. He downed the now stone-cold tea, grimacing at the mulch of gritty sugar at the bottom, and meandered out of the small radio room and into the main studio, where Chekov waved over at him from where he was helping Spock label up old recordings.

* * *

 

“How was your session, Captain?” Chekov asked, a cheeky grin on his face.   
  
“Not too bad. Bit worried about the last kid. Sounds like her mother’s stuck right in the 20 th century, and her father apparently did nothing or wasn’t around the first time she came out.” Jim said, used to the joking nickname that he was the ‘Captain’ of the helpline.

“I am sure that you gave entirely sensible and helpful advice, and that she will find the help that she needs if she needs it, Jim.” Spock said, as ever concealing comforting, gentle intent behind his matter-of-fact phrasing.

“I hope so.” Jim sighed. “Right, I’m heading back home. Don’t stay out too late, or Nyota will have my neck for letting you work too hard!”   
  
“That would be most unfortunate.” Spock responded, deadpan for no longer than a few seconds, after which he gave a small smirk. “I will head home momentarily. As will Pavel.”   
  
“Good. Sulu has the morning shift, so if you spot him on his way in, tell him I’ve left the notes in the top left drawer because the top right one won’t close anymore.” He held up a hand to stall the question about to leave Chekov’s lips. “I’ll call Scotty to fix it tomorrow afternoon, don’t worry. We good?”   
  
“Yes, Captain!”   
  
“Certainly, Jim.”

* * *

 

“So, Jojo,” Leonard sat back, putting down his coffee and looking at his daughter, her downcast eyes and hunched posture. “You gonna tell me what’s eatin’ at ya? We only got the one night this weekend, an’ you’ve been real quiet. You doin’ ok, kiddo?”   
  
“I-“ Joanna bit her lip, hugging her rucksack tightly to her body. “I gotta tell you somethin’.” She said, her voice small and scared. “But you gotta promise not to be mad.”   
  
“Oh, darlin’.” Leonard leaned forward. “I ain’t gonna be mad. Even if ya tell me you broke your Granda’s watch! Okay?”   
  
Joanna looked up, all wide eyes and an aching vulnerability that made Leonard instantly want to sweep her up and protect her from the entire world.   
  
“’Kay.” She said, quietly. “Daddy…I’m pansexual. Y’may not’ve heard of it, but it’s a real thing I swear, an’ it’s perfectly fine, I jus’ crush on girls an’ boys an’ whoever really, an’ I don’t really get the whole, bein’ attracted to only the one gender thing, it jus’ ain’t how my brain works! I’m sorry, Daddy, I jus’…I’m sorry.” Large tears welled in her eyes and trickled down her cheeks, and Leonard practically flew out of his chair.

He moved around the table and knelt by her, not caring about getting his jeans on the dirty floor, pulling her into a tight hug.

“Oh, darlin’, ya don’t gotta justify or explain anythin’! Shhh, it’s okay, it’s fine. I love ya, sugar. S’all gonna be okay. Oh, darlin’, Jojo…” He murmured endearments, almost brought to tears by the quiet sobs of his daughter, as she clung tightly to his neck, soaking his shoulder and the edge of his shirt with her tears. He rubbed her back gently, and she let the bag slide off her lap as she curled into him.

“M’sorry, Daddy. I’m jus’ real glad y’don’t think I’m bad.” She mumbled.

“Oh, ‘course I don’t think that, darlin’! I’d never think that! I love ya, an’ nothin’s gonna change that, sweetie.” Joanna released Leonard from her grip, and she sniffed, wiping her sleeve across her eyes. Leonard pulled out some tissues from his pocket, and handed them to her gently. “There ya go, y’alright Jojo.”   
  
“Thanks, Daddy.” She wiped off the tears, but she kept one hand tightly on Leonard’s. “I was just real nervous.”   
  
“That’s okay, Jojo. S’alright.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and pulled back, eyeing the bag. “Is that why ya planned to have a sleepover at a friends tonigh’?” His throat constricted a little with worry, wondering what he might have done to make her think he’d be angry with her for something like this.

“Yeah.” She said, blushing a little. “There’s this radio thing, y’see. Enterprise LGBT+ Youth Helpline. The guy, Jim, he talked me through stuff. ‘Splained about resources an’ t’pack a bag jus’ in case, an’ everythin’. He was real comforting.” She said, resting her head on Leonard’s shoulder.

“He told ya ta pack a bag an’ everythin’?” Leonard asked, tamping down on his growing anger.

“Yeah. He was real helpful, Daddy. I’m glad I told you.”   
  
“I’m glad ya told me, too, sweetie. An’ I’m glad you had someone ta comfort ya. I’ll love ya, kiddo, no matter what. Ya hear me?” Leonard said, making her meet his eyes, speaking firmly.   
  
“Yeah. Thanks Daddy.”   
  
“Now,” He said. “How’s abou’ I finish up my coffee, an’ you finish your hot cocoa, an’ then we head home an’ watch some good movies with real good representation, an’ talk abou’ girls an’ boys an’ others? An’ then I’ll drop ya off at your friend’s place for the nigh’.” He said, crushing the worry and anger to be dealt with later, when she was gone and wouldn’t be able to hear his frustrations.    
  
“That sounds real great, Daddy!” Joanna grinned, as ever moving from sad to bright as easily as breathing.

“Great.” Leonard said, letting the fondness in his voice show far more openly than normal. “An’ don’t think you’ll get away withou’ tellin’ me abou’ every single one of ya crushes, so’s I can screen ‘em for ya!”   
  
“Daaaaaaaddy!”

* * *

 

Jim arrived at the studio an hour in advance of his evening shift, grinning at Scotty, who was muttering angrily at the desk drawer in the radio room.

“Thanks for fixing it up, Scotty!”   
  
“Ach, nae problem, Captain! She’ll be right as rain in no time, mark my words, laddie!” He said, cheerfully, and promptly shut the door in Jim’s face.   
  
“Thanks.” Jim blinked at the door, and then moved into the office instead, dumping his bags and getting out his tea mug. He leaned against the small counter as he waited for the kettle to boil, only to be surprised by the phone line ringing – not the helpline, but the official communications and feedback line.

He picked up the phone, using his free hand to pour the hot water into his mug.   
  
“Hello, Enterprise Helpline feedback line, how can I help you?”   
  
“You got the manager? Or whoever’s in charge o’ this thing?” The voice was decidedly grumpy, adult, and something about the southern accent was itchingly familiar.

“Jim Kirk, manager, speaking. May I ask what you need?” Jim asked, cautiously.   
  
“I’ll tell you wha’ I need,” The man’s voice was slowly climbing in volume. “I need ta know why ya thought it’d be a good idea to terrify my little girl into thinkin’ she needed ta pack her bags jus’ in case I yelled at her for bein’ pansexual, is what I need!”   
  
“I’m sorry?” Jim set the kettle down, realising why the voice was familiar. “You! You’re the father of that kid, Jo!”   
  
“Damn right I am! An’ I gotta tell ya, that’s some service you provide, petrifyin’ kids like my Jojo! There ain’t a thing she could do ta make me hate her, an’ you made her think I’d kick her out! What the fuckin’ hell d’ya think you’re doin’?!”   
  
“Well, Mr. Jo, perhaps if you’d paid the slightest bit of attention to how your wife reacted when Jo came out to her, you’d realise that I told her to be careful because your wife is a homophobic asshole who practically told your daughter she would go to hell! So save your righteous anger, since you clearly couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to what was happening in the same actual house!” Jim snapped. He was aware it was unprofessional, but he’d been worried, and now to be yelled at for doing his job and trying to keep a vulnerable child safe, was a step too far. “All I wanted was to make sure she was safe, since you managed to be utterly ignorant of how much her mother hurt her! Forgive me for assuming you had given your tacit approval to the situation! I was trying to protect her, like you clearly haven’t done yourself.”

There was a shocked silence on the other end of the phone, and for a moment Jim felt a vicious sense of victory.

“Her mother did  _ what _ now?” The man’s voice was suddenly cold, bitingly sharp and devoid of the heated emotion of before. “You’re tellin’ me that my harpy of an ex  _ told my little girl she’d go to hell for bein’ pansexual _ ?” His words gradually increased in harshness and volume, by the end becoming a barely restrained growl.

“I assure you, I’m not lying. Jo called in and explained, and I – wait. Your ex?”   
  
“We’re divorced. I hardly get ta see Jojo, ‘cept a weekend every month or so.” The man said, shortly.   
  
“Shit. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed-“ Jim felt regret trickling through his anger.

“No, s’alrigh’.” The man cut him off. “With what ya knew, I reckon ya gave her damn good advice.” He paused, and there was a slight rustle that sounded like the man was sitting down on a sofa. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ. Guess this explains why she got so mad at me for sleepin’ with men after the divorce. I thought she was jealous an’ angry. Apparently, she’s actually a complete homophobe.  _ Fuck _ .”   
  
“I’m sorry.” Jim said, floored by the entire situation.   
  
“Ain’t your fault, kid.” The man sighed. “Don’t suppose you got a recordin’ o’ Jojo sayin’ wha’ her mother said, do ya?”   
  
“I do. Why? Because we take the issue of privacy very seriously here, and I’d need to know why I’d release a recording.”   
  
“I’m gonna take that recordin’, phone a lawyer, an’ sue that homophobic  _ shit _ for full fuckin’ custody is wha’ I’m gonna do!” The man’s voice was quieter this time, but no less venomous or determined for it. “She’s gonna regret the day she opened her mouth an’ decided it’d be okay t’make my Jojo feel like shit for somethin’ that’s out of her control an’ totally okay t’be anyhow! ‘Oh, Joanna will be better off with me, she needs a  _ woman’s  _ influence in her life’! Hell if I’ll let my Jojo grow up hatin’ her sexuality like I did mine! Jocelyn can bite my bisexual fuckin’ ass!”

“Give me an e-mail or number, and I’ll send the recording straight to you, buddy.” Jim tried to keep in his amazed laughter, but didn’t quite succeed. “You’re quite protective, Mr. Jo.”   
  
“Leonard.” He said. “My e-mail is ‘mccoyleon@doc-sfhospital.com’. I’m much obliged to ya, Jim. Thanks. An’ sorry for bein’ so…abrupt, earlier. I jus’…was worried abou’ my Jojo.”   
  
“It’s totally okay, Leonard.” Jim said, a grin on his face and tears in his eyes. “She’s a lucky girl. You’ll kick the woman’s ass for custody, I’d bet on it. And - if you need any help, or just...update me to let me know she’s okay?”   
  
“‘Course, Jim. Thanks.”   
  
The man cut off the call, and Jim collapsed into a chair, stunned. Divorced, bisexual himself, and utterly protective of his daughter. He couldn’t have hoped for a better ending for Jo. He sighed in relief, still laughing in amusement and gladness. Thank god for people like Leonard McCoy.

Okay. So maybe, just maybe, he’d gone from hating the concept of the guy, to having a major crush on his awesomely protective and determined, grumpy ass. Nobody else had to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this was enjoyable! I'm excited to share this story with y'all!! <3
> 
> As ever, comments and kudos feed my dark, lonely, validation-craving soul!! Have a lovely day!


	2. Crises and Calls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joanna is home, and brings home a friend in need.
> 
> In which Joanna's friend is hurt, and she calls a mysterious 'help number' before being taken to the safety of Leonard and Joanna's home.

In the months following the fierce custody battle between himself and Jocelyn, Leonard kept having to take a moment to stand still and come to terms with the fact that he had actually won. The sound of laughter around the house no longer a phantom taunt, time spent with his little girl - not so little, at thirteen - no longer a paltry weekend each month. Sometimes he felt he was so full of joy his heart would burst with it. 

Even his co-workers admitted to being unnerved by the spontaneous grin that would spread across his features randomly throughout the day - fortunately it only make him seem more terrifying rather than less. He suspected that if his patients saw him with Jojo, however, he would never regain his status as scary again.

It had been months filled with the tears and celebration typical of a child’s life, parties and friends and grades and who was sitting with who at lunchtimes. He loved every single inane second of it. When Jojo turned up one evening, with her best friend Erica, carrying one of the other girl’s bags and an arm around her crumpled face, he wondered if perhaps she had failed a test, or missed a scoring goal. Until, of course, he saw that too-adult expression, the same one that had been on her tense, scared face before coming out to him those four months earlier, and his heart filled with dread. 

“C’mon, in y’all come! Shoes off, don’t traipse any dirt. Y’all are gettin’ hot cocoa an’ then y’all’re gonna explain this, alrigh’?” He said, businesslike, taking the bags gently from them and ushering them into the kitchen. He laid out a tray of biscuits, and heated the chocolate on the stove, swiftly pouring it out and sliding the steaming mugs across the table. In the intervening time, Erica’s tears had dried. One hand clutched at a half-eaten biscuit, the other holding tightly to Joanna’s hand.

“Her parents’re complete shitheads, Daddy!” Joanna exploded, and Leonard nearly choked on his sip of water.

“Jojo!” Leonard spluttered, torn between choking and hysterical laughter. “What on earth possessed ya t’use language like that! Darlin’, y’know the rules abou’ swearing!”   
  
“Well, s’true!” Joanna said, sulkily. “G’on, Eri, s’okay. He knows I’m pan, he’s ok!” She turned to her friend, her tone abruptly gentle and encouraging, and Leonard felt a spark of glowing pride at her behaviour.

“They - they found out I’m gay, and-” Erica bit her lip, looking aside and trying to prevent the tears welling in her eyes. “They told me to get out. And I tried calling my help number, and it worked, but I had nowhere to wait, and Jo found me outside the school and asked why I wasn’t heading home, and she brought me here.”   
  
“Damn righ’, Erica, darlin’. Y’got a home with us ‘til ya get back at home or whatever this is gets sorted, alrigh’?” Leonard said, firmly. “Now, Jojo, I need ya ta go up t’my room an’ get out the guest blankets. Set up the couch in ya room for ya friend. I’m gonna ask Erica a few more questions, an’ then I’ll ring her foster-parents ta let her know she’s safe, an’ then we’ll have dinner.”   
  
“But Daddy-”   
  
“No questions, Jojo. Jus’ do as I say, alrigh’?” Leonard said, for once using his no-arguments voice. Joanna nodded mutely, squeezed her friend’s hand, and then padded up the stairs, her energetic footsteps resounding in the quiet kitchen. “Now, Erica. Can ya tell me what ya mean by your ‘help number’?”   
  
“Well.” She said, looking down, and lifting a tiny blanket from her lap. “It’s this.” She held the blanket out to him, and he took the soft cloth. It was ripped in places, but still mostly intact, made of a rough grey wool. There, on the label, was a number written in fine sharpie, with the words ‘If you ever need help, call me. J.T.’.   
  
“J.T?” Leonard murmured out loud thumbing at the cloth absently, puzzled. “Tha’s...what’s this from, darlin’?”   
  
“It’s the blanket I was given to the adoption agencies in. Apparently the kid who looked after me before I was adopted, well, his name was sealed, but they told me he insisted I get to keep the blanket. So I’m pretty sure that’s his number.”

“An’ let me get this straigh’...ya called the number, an’ someone actually picked up?”   
  
“Yeah. He said he’d come look after me, just like that. Instantly. I’m not sure why, but yeah. He seemed surprised I’d called.”   
  
“I’ll say.” Leonard muttered. “Y’ever think it migh’ no’ even be your JT? Could jus’ be some random person who got the number redistributed!” He sighed, and paused. “Wait. He said he’d come? You - dammit, kid, did ya tell him were y’are?!”

“Um. I told him I’d be at the school gates. Then Joanna took me here instead. I know I probably shouldn’t have - but I was scared! I thought I’d have to - have to go back to the foster home or sleep on the street because I couldn’t tell anyone! I - I’m sorry, Mr. McCoy.” She looked down, embarrassed.

“Hey, darlin’, it’s okay.” He said, forgetting to even correct her into calling him ‘doctor’. “Jesus. He say a time he’d arrive by?”   
  
“Seven.” Erica said, taking the blanket as he handed it back, clinging to it and blinking sleepily. “I’m sorry to cause trouble.”   
  
“Ain’t your fault, Erica. Tell ya what, how abou’ ya go an’ help Jojo make up your bed. I’ll put some soup on, an’ you an’ Jojo can watch it an’ get yourselves some while I go an’ meet your JT. Sound good?”

“Yes, Mr. McCoy.” Erica nodded, slipping off the chair and heading over to the stairs, blanket trailing behind her.

“Darlin’,” He called after her, running a hand through his hair distractedly. “Y’don’t gotta call me ‘Mr. McCoy’. Y’can call me Leo, if ya like.”   
  
“Um...thank you, Mr. Leo.” She said, looking a little wide-eyed and unnerved by the idea of addressing a grown-up casually. She turned and darted up the stairs, leaving Leonard to smile at her retreating figure with something like amusement, and something like exasperation.

* * *

 

He grabbed the half-chopped soup ingredients he had been preparing for their dinner, and made short work of them, his hands steady and sure as if he were performing an operation. He cooked like he worked - setting ingredients in their places and putting them into the pot with careful precision. By the time he was done, it was ten minutes to seven, and Erica and Joanna were sitting side by side at the kitchen table, watching him cook and whispering frantically at each other in turns.

He laid out soup bowls and a ladle, and held Joanna’s gaze seriously.   
  
“Now, Jojo, y’know how ta turn off the stove an’ dish out soup. It’ll be done in five minutes, so tha’s all ya gotta do. You be good girls, an’ look after Erica for me while I’m out, alrigh’? An’ remember ta put the bowls in the sink an’-”   
  
“An’ fill ‘em with water so they soak, I got it, Daddy!” Joanna interrupted, with a confident grin. “You go find out who JT is! It’s like a mystery book!”   
  
“Calm down, Jojo! I know this is all strange an’ excitin’, but you jus’ look after Erica an’ be good, okay?”   
  
“Fine, Daddy, it’ll be ok. See you in a bit!” She kicked her feet against the table leg, and the two children watched as Leonard grabbed his coat, keys and phone and headed out of the door.   
  
“Be good!” He called, shutting the door carefully and getting into his car. If he hurried, he’d make it just five minutes late, if the roads were quiet.

* * *

 

Leonard placed a call to Erica’s parents on the way, putting it on speakerphone. One long rant and several roads later, he arrived at the gates to the school.

“Goddamn idiots!” He muttered to himself as he stepped out of the car. “I’ll show them ‘actin’ out’. Jesus, you’d think we live in the fuckin’ dark ages! I’ll make a doctors recommendation, or somethin’ or hell knows what, but I’ll be damned if I let Erica be talked down to by her own foster family!” He took a deep breath, and surveyed the surroundings. Nobody was there. He sighed, checked his watch. Four minutes past seven. He leaned on the hood of his car, and resigned himself to waiting.

About ten minutes later, Leonard was close to giving up, when he heard the faint buzz of a motorcycle, edging closer and closer. He tensed, standing up fully. A motorbike sped down the road, skidding to an abrupt halt by the gates. The driver practically tumbled off the bike, hopping on one leg for a moment before regaining balance. 

Leonard suppressed a smirk. Given the lack of coordination, if this was the mysterious JT, perhaps they weren’t so dangerous after all.

“Ah, shit, fucking, dammit!” The biker wrenched off a helmet halfway through the list of swears, revealing tousled dirty blonde hair. He held the helmet in one hand and spun around, his bright eyes searching the area. Leonard took the moment to observe. The man was young, younger than him, though not by much. Well built, but only wearing ripped jeans, and what appeared to be a mustard yellow pyjama top under his biking jacket. Leonard studiously ignored the tongue piercing, and the fact that the man was exceedingly handsome. Then the man turned to him, pummelling Leonard with the full force of his intense, worried gaze.

“Hi, I’m sorry to bother you, but...have you seen a kid named Erica around here at all? She’s in trouble, and she called me.” The man bit his lip, his eyes still darting around, taking a moment to examine Leonard’s car closely. His eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Why are you even here?”

“Erica’s stayin’ at my place righ’ now. With my daughter. I’m guessin’ you’re - no, actually. Who the hell’re you?” Leonard met the man’s suspicious gaze, sending it right back at him. “It seems a mite convenient that you come rushin’ on over the moment the kid’s vulnerable!” Leonard folded his arms, summoning up his best glare. “What’s your deal?”   
  
“I-” The man cut off, the suspicion shocked off his face. “Okay, I guess that’s fair. It’s a little weird. It’s...uh, it’s a long story. She’s okay, right?”   
  
“Ya think?” Leonard rolled his eyes. “Yeah, she’s fine. A bit shaken up, an’ I’m gonna have ta have words with someone somehow ta make sure she don’t get put back with that idiot set of a foster family she’s got, but yeah. She’s got a home with me an’ her best friend ‘til she gets another one.”   
  
“I - okay. Thank you. I’m...really glad you’re looking after her. She must have been desperate to call me. Hell, I’m literally a random number on a blanket. I’m a set of initials!” He let out a short laugh. “Frankly, I’m amazed they let her keep the blanket.”

“Yeah. The fuck is with that, anyway?” Leonard let his posture soften a little. The man seemed so genuine, so worried, it was hard to think he might have meant Erica harm.

“Like I say, it’s a long story. Look - no offence, but could I come with you and see that Erica’s okay? I promise I’ll go away if I’m satisfied she’s safe.”   
  
Leonard blinked. He looked the man up and down, studying him. He took in the bags under his eyes, the odd socks peeking out from his biking boots. The earnest, determined expression. He sighed. “Sure, why not.” He opened up his car. “I don’t reckon I’d be able ta get rid o’ ya if I said no, anyhow. Ya good with leavin’ ya bike here?”   
  
“Yeah, it’s fine, no worries!” The man unslung his rucksack, setting up various bike locks. As he did so, Leonard tried to place what exactly was so familiar about him. Of course, that feeling of familiarity could have simply been because he was pretty much every singe dream partner he’d ever had. Leonard shook his head to focus. Erica. Danger. Mysterious JT.

“Hop in the damn car, JT. Ain’t got all day!”   
  
The man dropped the keys in his hands at the words, and fumbled to pick them up properly, shoving them in his bag and sliding into the passenger seat next to Leonard.

“I haven’t been JT for years. I’m Jim, now.” He held out a hand, tentatively. Leonard took it, liking the firm confidence of the man - Jim’s - movements.

“Leonard. Leonard McCoy.” He started up the car, and only then noticed that the man was staring at him. “What?” He asked, irritably. “I got somethin’ on my face?”   
  
“Leonard. As in, San Fran hospital, Doctor McCoy, daughter named Jojo?”   
  
“How in the  _ fuck _ d’you know all o’ th - hang on. Jim. Yain’t...holy  _ shit _ , you’re the guy from the goddamn helpline!” Leonard stared over at Jim, one hand absently on the steering wheel while the other pointed at Jim wildly. “Wha’ the hell kinda coincidence is this?”   
  
“Yeah, I have to admit...this is...pretty weird. Uh. Hi?” Jim was still looking at Leonard with wide eyes, a combination of sheepish and stunned that would have been endearing if it hadn’t been for the overall situation not lending itself to such observations.

Leonard opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. He frowned fiercely at the steering wheel, subsiding back into his seat. “Dammit. Alrigh’, lets get home, you can see Erica, and I’ll send ‘em ta bed. Then you’re gonna explain to me wha’ the actual fuck is goin’ on. Good?”   
  
“Yeah. Yeah, that’s...that’s fair.” Jim’s gaze flickered between Leonard’s face and his hands, crossed over each other in his lap. He seemed to have shrunk somehow, down from the confident, capable man ready to take Leonard on in case of danger. Now, he seemed far more like someone who was worried, but who had the flight response, not the fight that Leonard had seen in him when he first got off his bike.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this was enjoyable! I'm excited to share this story with y'all!! <3
> 
> As ever, comments and kudos feed my dark, lonely, validation-craving soul!! Have a lovely day!


	3. I'll Come When You Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leonard meets the man behind the mysterious number properly, and brings him home to check on Erica's safety.
> 
> In which Joanna goes full-on protective, Erica is curious, Jim is overwhelmed and Leonard just wants to know what the heck is going on.

The journey was short, and silent. Leonard could feel Jim’s eyes burning a hole in his profile as he drove. As they pulled up into the drive, Jim seemed to come back to life, a grin quirking back onto his features and confidence seeping into his stance once more. He got out, helmet in one hand, his rucksack slung over his shoulder. He’d gone from nervous to capable in less than half a minute, and Leonard wasn’t sure if that was worrying or impressive.

“G’on, after you.” Leonard opened the door with a heavy clunk of the lock, and waved Jim inside. Leonard toed off his boots and hung his jacket on the hook by the door, Jim following suit. The sound of two girls laughing raucously in the kitchen filtered through, easing Leonard’s tension just a little. If Erica was laughing again, he couldn’t help but feel that she would be able to spring back from this small disaster.

“Oh, no need ta welcome me back, Jojo! I only went out an’ found y’all your JT!” He called, the humour in his voice removing any possibility of him actually being frustrated. The sounds of ceramic clinking and chairs scraping echoed noisily in the hall. Joanna skidded out of the kitchen, sliding a little on her sock-clad feet, and leapt at Leonard, crushing his waist in her grip.

“Daddy! You found him?” She pulled back before Leonard could so much as wrap an arm around her, clearly examining Jim with her serious green eyes. “You’re JT?” She asked, frowning, before holding out a hand solemnly. “I’m Joanna, Erica’s best friend.”   
  
“Um, hey there, Jo.” He took her hand and shook it gently, crouching down so they were of a height. “Good to meet you.” He made to pull his hand back, but she clung to it stubbornly, digging in her nails a little.

“Jus’ so y’know,” She said, her young voice firm with conviction. “If ya hurt Erica, I’ll borrow Daddy’s hydrochloric acid an’ dissolve your dead body.” She let his hand go and grinned at him brightly.

Leonard coughed, blinking at Joanna, then at Jim, to see how he was taking being threatened by a thirteen year old girl. To his credit, his serious expression didn’t even twitch.

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Jo. I’m glad she has such a good friend looking out for her.” He smiled, tentatively, and Joanna nodded, as if giving him her seal of approval.

“Erica, ‘s’okay!” She called, and Erica’s head peeked out from behind the door to the kitchen.

“Hey there.” Jim gave her a little wave. She returned it cautiously, the rest of her emerging from behind the door as she moved forward to stand next to Joanna. Wordlessly, Joanna held out her hand, and Erica took it. They stared at Jim, in a slightly eerie double-act of identically curious eyes - one set green and the other brown.

“You were on my blanket!” Erica said, quietly. “And you came. I didn’t think you would come. It’s gotta be a very old number.” 

“Of course I came!” Jim kept his voice soft, despite the emphatic nature of his words. “You, uh, probably don’t remember me. Well, you couldn’t. But, I knew you. Looked after you when you were just a tiny little baby. I kind of didn’t think they’d let you keep the blanket, but I kept the phone anyway. For the oth- well, anyway. I’m really glad you found help, Erica. You doing ok?”   
  
“Yeah. Jo’s looking after me. And so is Mr. Leo!” She smiled, and reached out the hand still clutching at the blanket, as if to touch Jim’s face. “I’m doing ok. I know my mom and dad are wrong about-” She broke off, biting her lip and looking away. Joanna squeezed her hand, and Erica sniffed, looking up at Jim again. “They were wrong about everything.” Her voice was stony with determination. “They told me it’s wrong to like girls, but thats stupid. And they said you wouldn’t come for me, before they left me outside. But they were wrong about that too. You’re real, and you came. Thanks, JT.” She finally closed the gap between her fingers and Jim’s cheek, stroking it gently, as if to confirm that he was really there.

Jim closed his eyes for a moment, struggling with emotion, but was pulled out of his thoughts by her hand on his cheekbone. He carefully reached up and took her hand in his.

“You’re very welcome, Erica. It’s...an honour to meet you again. And to see you safe.” Jim’s voice was rough, his blue eyes swimming with held-back tears, and Leonard could see the instant that it became too much for him. Jim let Erica’s hand fall, and Leonard took the chance to intervene, before the situation got out of hand.

“Well, now y’all’ve met an’ decided it’s a great plan ta threaten our guest,” He said, fixing a pointed glare at Joanna, who sent him a sparkling grin of innocence. “It’s far past time for y’all to head to sleep. Now, thank Mr. Kirk for comin’ down ta visit, an’ git upstairs ta brush ya teeth an’ sleep. I’ll come up an’ check on ya in five minutes, ya hear me?”

“Thank you, Mr. Kirk.” Joanna and Erica chorused, slightly out of time with each other, still standing blocking off the corridor, eyes fixed curiously on Jim. 

“Didn’t y’all hear me?” Leonard said, smiling at them affectionately. “Git!” He made waving motions with his hands, ushering them to the stairs, where they finally turned and dashed up them, Joanna taking them two at a time. They stopped at the top of the stairs, hovering by the edge of it and peering down curiously. “G’on!” He called up after them. “Y’all’re gonna scare the poor man with ya gawkin’ at him like he’s an exhibit! Now hop to, school ain’t gonna delay starin’ ‘cause y’all decided ta stare at him all nigh’!” They scattered, Erica looking back curiously three times before she was dragged to the bathroom by her friend.

* * *

 

Leonard turned from the stairs, moving over to Jim, who was still kneeling on the wooden floor. He had picked up the blanket, which had fallen when Erica moved to touch his cheek. He was staring at the old scrap of cloth like it held the secret to the whole universe, his head bowed over it, his scruffy hair covering his face. It took a moment for Leonard to realise that the small collection of darker patterns on the cloth were tears.

“C’mon, Jim.” He gently gripped Jim’s upper arm and helped him upright, dragging him into the kitchen and pushing him carefully into a chair. “I reckon some tea migh’ do ya good, darlin’.” He put the kettle on, grabbing two mugs and putting teabags in. “D’you take sugar or milk?”   
  
“No.” Jim shook his head, barely even looking up. His hands were shaking.

“Here y’are.” Leonard poured out the hot water and put his own mug on the table, sliding Jim’s across to him and gently teasing the blanket from his tight grip. “You get settled with ya tea, an’ I’ll be down in jus’ a moment, alrigh’?”   
  
Jim nodded, slowly curling his hands around the mug of hot tea. Leonard figured this would be the best answer he would get until he could come back down from looking after Joanna and Erica, and so he let the silence hold for now.

* * *

 

He padded up the stairs, pausing halfway up to take a deep, calming breath. He felt like he was currently in the middle of a shift in the ER; he could feel the adrenaline and instinctive response of trying to look after everyone involved, his thoughts and plans rushing through his brain faster than he could fully track. He shook his head once, as if to clear it of confusion, running a hand through his hair distractedly as he reached Joanna’s door and knocked.

“Come in!” Joanna called, and watched Leonard enter the room, with a broad grin. She and Erica were now dressed in pyjamas - Erica’s borrowed off Joanna, and more than a little too large for her smaller frame. They were huddled on the couch, Joanna’s laptop propped on her chair to make a makeshift cinema. “We were gonna watch somethin’ an’ then sleep!”   
  
“Sounds good, Jojo. Y’all ok up here?”   
  
“Yes, thank you, Mr. Leo!” Erica smiled at him, cautiously.

“Alrigh’. Mind if I borrow Jojo for a minute?” Leonard beckoned, and Joanna nodded, springing up and heading over to the door. Leonard guided her out of her room and crouched by her, putting his serious face on. “Now, I reckon we need ta talk abou’ a few things, sweetie.”

“Yeah. I guess we do, Daddy. ‘M’sorry.” Joanna mumbled, avoiding his gaze, scuffing sock-clad feet against the carpet.

Leonard took a moment to reflect on what had happened. The swearing, the threatening, the way she’d just brought Erica home without even letting Leonard know in advance. He considered how best to deal with the situation. “Hey, Jojo. Look at me, darlin’.” He tilted her head towards him, and she met his gaze, worried and childish. The fact she could still look so vulnerable despite her fiery attitude made his heart clench with relief and love. “I know an awful lot’s happened tonigh’, so I jus’ wanted ta make sure y’know tha’ I’m real proud of ya.”   
  
“What?” Joanna blinked at him in surprise.

“Y’heard me, darlin’. Ya may not’ve stuck ta the rules an’ all the things I told ya to do an’ be like around adults, but ya did one step better in my book. Ya took the lessons an’ morals an’ sense of wha’s righ’, an’ ya broke every damn rule ta look after ya friend. There ain’t many people who’d do tha’. You’re real brave, sweetheart, an’ I’m so, so fuckin’ proud.” He pulled her into a tight hug, which she returned, clutching at the back of his shirt and burrowing her head into his shoulder. 

He waited until her grip loosened, and then he let her go, gently.

“So...y’ain’t mad at me?” Joanna asked, hopeful and still resting her hands on Leonard’s shoulders.

“I ain’t mad. I’ll tell ya this as many times as ya need - there ain’t a thing you can do t’make me mad at ya, remember? All I am is proud. Proud an’ glad.”   
  
“Daddy, you swore earlier. You said you were fu-”   
  
“Jojo!” He said, warningly. “I’m proud, but that don’t mean ya get t’swear in anythin’ other’n extremely extenuatin’ circumstances, young lady!” Leonard couldn’t help the laugh in his voice, but Joanna nodded, seeming to accept it as amusing but true.

“Like tonight?”   
  
“That’s righ’, Jojo. Now, g’on, I think ya got a movie t’catch!” Leonard ruffled her hair, just to make her squirm and glare and giggle. She wriggled away from him, dashing through her doorway and swinging off the handle to peer round at him for a second.

“G’night, Daddy. Love you!” She swung the door shut after her.

“Love ya too, Jojo!” He called, specifically loud enough to embarrass her in front of Erica. He waited to hear the fake-disgusted exclamation, and then headed back down the stairs, his smile fading as he did so. He’d dealt with the kids. Now, he just had to figure out how to handle whatever was going on with Jim Kirk. Something told him it wouldn’t be as simple a fix as some hugs and well-applied words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this was enjoyable! I'm excited to share this story with y'all!! <3
> 
> As ever, comments and kudos feed my dark, lonely, validation-craving soul!! Have a lovely day!


	4. Communication and Catharsis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leonard finally gets to ask Jim what is going on. Jim struggles with his past. Eventually, they manage to talk.
> 
> In which Leonard employs some unusual therapy techniques, Jim is convinced Leonard is ridiculous until he isn't, and Jim tells some of his story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so look, basically this chapter contains a nerf-gun battle. I honestly don't know where it came from, but it happened? So...I hope y'all don't mind that XD

“How’s the tea?” Leonard poured a small splash of milk into his own mug, putting the milk back in the fridge and sitting down with a quiet groan. He rolled his shoulders and neck back, wincing slightly at the crunch the movements made, loosening his stiff muscles.

“Good.” Jim smiled at Leonard. In the time Leonard had spent with Joanna, Jim had managed to wipe away the tears and restore some of his confidence. “Sorry about this. Thanks.”   
  
“‘S’all good.” Leonard took a sip of tea, and then levelled his gaze at Jim. “Righ’. Wanna tell me wha’ the fuck this is all abou’? ‘Cause frankly, this day’s been mighty weird, an’ I’d appreciate knowin’ at least somethin’ abou’ this insanity. I mean, your phone number’s on some blanket, an’ for god knows wha’ reason y’actually kept the damn number, an’ somehow you’re also the Jim Kirk from the phone line, an’ dammit, ya must have been what, twelve, when ya left that number with Erica. Why were y’even in charge o’ a kid at tha’ age? Jus’...wha’ the fuck?” Leonard took a deep breath, consciously trying to control the tirade of questions and exasperation thick in his mind. “Sorry. Jus’. ‘S’been one hell of a day.”   
  
“No, that’s...that’s fair.” Jim said, repeating the phrasing he’d used so much already that evening. It made Leonard wonder if perhaps those words were a script Jim used, to let himself have time to think. “Thirteen.” Jim continued, abruptly.   
  
“Wha’?”   
  
“I was thirteen, when I was looking after Erica. Well. Nearly fourteen.” Jim offered up the words quietly, refusing to look at Leonard as he spoke. Leonard could hear the faint tap of Jim’s odd-sock-clad feet on the kitchen tile, the faint sound of Jim’s finger tapping at the rim of the mug. “I guess the habit of trying to look after people stuck. Pike - he’s the guy who sponsors the Enterprise helplines - decided I needed direction, and that the direction I needed was to study to be a counsellor. And uh, then man the Enterprise helplines. So, this is definitely odd, but,” He shrugged, trying for nonchalant and ending up looking nervous instead. “Hey. Coincidences abound.” He paused, looking up at Leonard with what seemed to be great effort. “Hey, I’m glad your custody suit was successful, though, man. You never did ring in again.”   
  
“Oh, yeah.” Leonard coughed. “‘M’sorry I didn’t let ya know. I was jus’...kinda busy lookin’ after Jojo. She’s great, but she sure is a righ’ little hellion when she wants to be.” He grinned weakly, noticing the deliberate avoidance of properly explaining the whole Erica situation. He no longer thought Jim was actively dangerous - hell, the man seemed like he’d take on the world to help the kid, and that in itself was both comforting and alarming. His grin faded into the stilted silence, broken by Jim smiling back.

“Yeah. She’s quite protective.” Jim managed a laugh that, though quiet, had genuine feeling behind it. “She’s definitely her father’s daughter.”   
  
Leonard felt himself blush, and looked away, hoping that he didn’t seem too ridiculous. The silence built again, wrapping around his vocal chords and strangling anything he tried to say in the back of his throat.

“Thanks.” Jim’s voice broke the silence again, quiet and unsure. “I know this is pretty weird. And, well, I’m kind of a mess right now. But, I just...thanks.” He sighed. “I’m sorry I was so suspicious. I just...wanted to make sure that Erica would be okay. Turns out, you had this under control. I really do appreciate it.” His voice was uncomfortably sincere, his vividly blue eyes searching out Leonard’s as he leaned forward a little, to try and communicate his gratitude.   
  
“Y’ain’t a mess!” Leonard began, then paused, remembering the odd socks and the fact it was clearly a pyjama top, his messy hair and traces of smudged black eyeliner around Jim’s eyes. “Well. Alrigh’, maybe a little. But not much!” Leonard clamped his mouth shut, took a breath, mentally counted to three, and then continued. “Wha’ I mean t’say is, it ain’t a thing, darlin’. Lookin’ after Erica, I mean. She’s Joanna’s friend. Hell, she’s a  _ kid _ . Ain’t nothin’ as can stop me from lookin’ after a kid as needs it.” He took refuge in his tea, taking a slightly too large gulp. He swallowed it painfully, avoiding Jim’s painfully earnest gaze.

“You’re a rare man, Leonard McCoy.” Jim said, softly. He smiled, and looked away. His posture shrank again, in a similar way to how it had done in the car before. “Sorry I’m not the best at explaining things.”   
  
“Hell, Jim. It don’t seem the easiest thing t’explain, an’ I don’t even know what it is. ‘S’alrigh’.” Leonard did his best to ignore the compliment, flushing furiously, feeling even the back of his neck heat up a little. 

“No, I really should explain this. I just. Shit.” Jim tapped his fingers restlessly on the mug, eyes darting around the room. Everything about him spoke of repressed energy, a desire to be in motion to burn off excess anxiety.

“Look, I’ll admit, I’m real curious abou’ this whole thing. An’ if you’re gonna stick around at all, which I’m assumin’ you’re gonna want ta do, I’d like ta know jus’ wha’ the whole blanket deal is. But righ’ now? I got a plan. Come with me.” Leonard abandoned his tea, moving around the table and gripping Jim’s wrist lightly, guiding him into the hallway.

* * *

 

Leonard moved to the back of the corridor, opening a chest against the back wall and pulling out a large nerf gun. He handed it to a bemused looking Jim, before taking out a second, several stacks of nerf bullets, and then he closed the lid of the chest, laying the darts out neatly on the chest. He turned to Jim with a slightly alarmingly wild grin.

“Ya ready?” Leonard nodded at the nerf gun held loosely in Jim’s hands.   
  
“What?” Jim stared at Leonard like he’d grown a second head. “I’m sorry, I’m very confused right now. What are we doing with these? How is this going to help me explain things?”   
  
“Oh, this ain’t for explainin’. This is for emotional release. Catharsis. Wha’ever. You’re all twisted up an’ anxious, an’ I can’t say as I feel much better. I ain’t gonna be drinkin’ on a school nigh’, not to mention that’s a bad habit ta get into, drinkin’ ta deal with emotions. Bad road ta head down.” He grimaced, remembering the early days of his divorce. “So,” He said, before he could get distracted. “We’re gonna pummel the door with nerf darts ‘til we feel less on edge. Ya good?”

“You are incredibly weird.”   
  
“Tell me somethin’ I don’t know!” Leonard grinned again, cocking the gun with a plastic clicking sound that satisfied something in his riotous soul. 

“Uh. The nearest star to Earth is Proxima Centauri?” Jim said, trailing the fact off into a question.

“Neat. Who’s weird now?” Leonard winked, and then he lifted the nerf gun to his shoulder, adjusted his stance, and proceeded to rapid-fire round after round into the door. One of the darts flew right back at them, spiralling high and landing inside the lampshade, but Leonard didn’t seem to care. Once he was out of darts, he stepped aside, his eyes bright with the action. “G’on. Your turn, Kirk. Let’s see if you can shoot worth a damn.”   
  
For a moment, Jim hesitated, eyeing Leonard like he was the crazy one who had driven god knew how many miles just to meet a girl he’d looked after as a baby. Then he stepped up, adjusting his posture and cocking the gun, letting Leonard’s challenging words sweep him up into competitiveness.

Jim fired, and found himself enjoying the act of firing at the innocent door far too much. Cocking the nerf gun and shooting, repeatedly, was oddly soothing, and the consistent thump of dart hitting wood was primally satisfying. He began to grin, despite himself. By the time he ran out of darts, he was half-laughing.   
  
“Damn,” He grinned, lowering the weapon. “This is the weirdest therapy ever.”   
  
“Yeah?” Leonard took position again, firing off rapidly, this time varying his aim to hit the different corners of the door.   
  
“Yeah. Kinda like it, though. Even if it is ridiculous.” Jim laughed, and then yelped as Leonard expertly sent a dart shooting at Jim’s foot. “Ow!”   
  
“Watch who you’re callin’ ridiculous, darlin’. I’ve got a loaded weapon. Ain’t so wise ta be callin’ me names.” Leonard grinned widely, as Jim swivelled and began loading up as fast as he could. Leonard grabbed some more darts, replenishing his own supply. Jim finished first, stepped back and shot a single round at Leonard’s butt. “Oh,” Leonard almost growled, as he finished reloading. “It is  _ on _ !”   
  
Jim dashed down the corridor, skidding on the wooden boards with his socks, raising the nerf gun and shooting at Leonard. Leonard dropped to his knees and returned fire, getting in several hits of his own before Jim dived for cover behind the door to the living room.

Leonard soaked a few hits, before charging up the corridor, grabbing at the door and spotting Jim hiding behind the sofa. He shot from his vantage point by the door, using it as a shield as Jim aimed at him from behind the sofa. Then, the barrage from each of them stopped.

“Hey, look. I’m out of ammo.” Jim said, emerging from behind the arm of the sofa with his hands in the air.

“Same.” Leonard admitted, stepping out from behind the door. He began to lower his weapon, and then squeezed the trigger, hitting Jim dead on the chest with his last dart.

* * *

 

Jim yelped in surprise, his eyes narrowed. Then he hoisted the nerf gun, and shot Leonard right back.

“Ow! Nice ta know we both lied abou’ bein’ outta ammo.” Leonard laughed, dropping his weapon onto one of the armchairs and collapsing on the sofa Jim had been using as cover.

“Yep. That was my last round anyway. Figured I could fake-surrender to get a clear shot.” Jim dropped his own weapon next to Leonard’s, and then flopped onto the sofa next to him, grinning, his eyes sparkling with exhilaration.   
  
“Feelin’ a bit better?” Leonard asked, resting his head back on the soft cushions of the sofa.   
  
“Weirdly? Yeah.” Jim laughed, subsiding into a relaxed posture. “Thanks.”   
  
“Not a problem. Started doin’ this as a way ta unwind an’ healthily release emotion, an’ then I taught it to Jojo when she came home frustrated after havin’ a bad day. ‘S’kinda become a habit.”

“It’s a good habit.” Jim’s laughter subsided. “I honestly might see if Pike can get some of these for our waiting rooms. Might be a terrible idea, but hey, I have a lot of those.”   
  
“Why don’t tha’ surprise me?” Leonard’s wry grin made Jim want to trust him. His dry, cynical humour, so at odds with his passionate and idealistic behaviour, was incredibly endearing; Leonard McCoy, the reality, was so much different to his imagined crush, and yet also so much more.

“Probably because you’ve met me!” Jim joked, and Leonard smirked at him. Silence fell again, but this time it was the comfortable silence of the physically tired but mentally exhilarated.

Jim wondered if Leonard was waiting for him to speak, flicking his eyes over to examine him for tension. Leonard was still resting with his head tipped back, muscles relaxed. Occasionally his gaze would flicker over to meet Jim’s, but there was no real tension to it. A good-natured curiosity, but nothing pressuring, and the lack of insistence paradoxically made Jim more determined to explain.

“So, when I was thirteen, I drove my dad’s car off a cliff.” Jim said, casually.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ!” Leonard spluttered, his body rocketing into an upright position, limbs flailing a little as he re-established his balance. “I take it ya managed ta get outta the car first?”

“Just about, yeah. It was kinda touch and go for a bit. I hadn’t decided right until I decided to jump out of the car.” Jim nodded. His posture was still relaxed, his body warm and pleasantly tired, but his mind edging back towards restlessness. He pulled out the fidget toy from his pocket, twisting the metal around his fingers determinedly.

“What did the car ever do to ya, t’deserve tha’?” Leonard asked, his tone moderated, strangely calm. Jim recognised it as the tone he used when coaxing his own patients into feeling safe. He didn’t resent that as much as he’d expected to - or at all, really. Instead, it was oddly comforting.

“Wasn’t the car. My dad died when I was just a baby, and the car was one of the only things I had left from him. My step-father, Frank, was going to sell it. I tried ringing Winona - my mother - but she didn’t pick up, obviously. She never picked up back then. I think...my father’s death was hard on her, and she was hardly home. She stopped coming back once Sam, my older brother, ran away. So, I decided, better let the car go myself than let Frank take it, like he took everything else.” Jim felt himself speaking, but his own voice was distant to him. He gripped at the metal in his hand firmly until the sensation pulled him back to reality.

“Shit, Jim. ‘M’sorry.” Leonard didn’t try to justify it, or pry further, letting himself just be an honest audience. Jim felt inexplicably grateful for it, for Leonard letting him just talk.

“It’s okay. Well, it’s not, but it’s not the point. The point is, that was the last straw for him. He sent me to an off-world colony, to live with my aunt and uncle. Ironically, they were probably the best guardians I’d ever had. Harsh, sure, but fair. And there was no Frank, which was fucking brilliant, really, it was.”   
  
“Doesn’t sound so bad.” Leonard commented, his tone non-judgemental. Jim had forgotten how strange it felt to be on the receiving end of the active listening method of counselling.

“Yeah. It was pretty great.” He took a deep breath. “The colony planet was Tarsus IV.”

* * *

 

Jim could see the moment Leonard processed what he had said. Instead of the dramatic flailing of earlier, he tensed up, his eyes betraying his horror where the rest of him remained in control, calm. But he didn’t say anything. Jim waited for him to relax a little again, before continuing.

“I went to the ‘gifted’ school. We’d all heard rumours about the fungus infecting the crops, but at the start it was all kept quiet. I’d left behind my coat so I doubled back, and that’s when I overheard Kodos. Explaining his plan. I left my coat behind, ran home, but my aunt and uncle wouldn’t believe me.” 

Jim paused to shrug, a small bark of mirthless laughter leaving him. “Hell, it’s not like I gave them any good reason to trust me. I was kind of throwing myself into being a rebel before I went there. But then, the cops came, ordered everyone out into the square. They still didn’t believe me, really. Not until they heard the first gunshots. And I was so scared, and I saw these kids - tiny kids, twins - and I grabbed their hands and we ran. 

“The cops didn’t notice us in the chaos, and on the way i told them to keep grabbing whoever’s hands they could and keep running. By the time we got out of the town and into the forest, we’d picked up a whole bunch of kids. I was one of the oldest - there was Erica and Robin who were older, both of them were fifteen, but there were only eleven of us, and I was the third-eldest.” Jim paused, biting at his lip, struggling to continue.

“Fifteen?”

Leonard’s quiet question made Jim flinch unconsciously, before he turned to look over at Leonard properly. He had shifted a little, so he was sitting up more, listening with an intent look about him that made Jim feel slightly uncomfortable at the attention - that scrutiny checking him over.

“Yeah. She - Erica and Robin, they both died. A while in, they said they wanted to go get some grown ups to help us - they were gonna try and call Starfleet in. They didn’t come back. We lost Simon a while later. He was only six - he and Sarah were the twins.

“But anyway. We survived, just about. Between us we could steal enough food, or, not enough really but we got by. Blankets, too. We were small enough that patrols couldn’t catch us that easily. But since I was the oldest...I kind of ended up becoming the parent for all of them. Kevin always wanted me to sing to him, and Tommy got so scared, and I just had to try and help them all. Like I say, the habit of looking after people kind of stuck.” Jim shrugged, hoping Leonard wouldn’t try and make him go into more detail. But Leonard was just sitting there, nodding, watching him intently, encouragingly. It was almost comforting.

“We found a little baby abandoned out by the woods. We think that maybe her parents wanted her to escape being rounded up or something, but she was so small, she must have been only a couple of months old at most. We had no idea what to do. So we called her Erica, and we did our best to keep her alive. I gave her a blanket I found, and we mostly fed her watered milk powder from a store we broke into.

“Luckily, Starfleet arrived about a week later. They found us, and we didn’t trust anyone. Well, I didn’t, and so nobody else did either. Once we were back on the ship, being treated and redistributed out to homes, I got a pen and my phone, and wrote my number down for every one of the kids. Put it on Erica’s blanket, asked them to keep it for her. I’m surprised they let her keep the thing, it was a weird request from a thirteen year old who literally tried to bite the first officer that touched me. But hey.” Jim brushed away the tears leaking from under his closed eyelids, and looked back over to Leonard, who was still watching him. He looked back down, wriggling in his seat, twisting the metal stim toy again and again.

“An’ ya kept the number, so ya could look after your kids.” Leonard said, and to Jim’s amazement, he was smiling, even though his voice came out rough and his eyes were shining with tears too.

“Well, yeah. When I got the first call, I was fourteen, trying to pick things back up and failing miserably. But I ran away from Frank and helped Kira, and helping her made me feel better. Like I was really safer, making a difference. So I waited, and answered every call. When I was sixteen, I got a call from Tommy who said he saw Kodos, so I ran away from Frank again. I mean, Kodos is dead, Tommy was just imagining things, but I helped him out of the panic attack and I just thought, well, I didn’t need to go back to Frank or his punches or his shouting. 

“So I decided to travel. Met Pike in a bar when I was nineteen, got recruited, and I’ve been working for the Enterprise ever since. And now, mostly, I just get updates on their lives, which is pretty neat. Kevin’s studying to be a counsellor, and Sarah is going to study Biochem in a few years, that kind of thing. Erica’s call was a bit of a shock, to say the least.” Jim laughed a little, rubbing his hand over his face, spiking his hair absently, before letting his arm flop back down to the sofa next to him.

“I can’t imagine what tha’ must’ve been like, Jim. But I jus’ wanted ta say-”   
  
“If you’re going to apologise, please, just don’t. It’s done now, Tarsus and all of it. I’ve moved on, mostly, though god knows I’ve still got issues. And now, well, I guess Erica needed me again and I just fell back into my old pattern. Run away to help my kids.” Jim smiled, somehow both sheepish and defiant all at once.

“I ain’t gonna apologise. Well, I’m sure I’m sorry ya went through all tha’, but...y’remind me o’ somethin’, actually. An’, well, I hope it ain’t too presumptuous to say as I feel mighty proud, really. From all o’ tha’, the sadness an’ pain, an’ you decided ta help instead o’ hurt. Tha’s a rare thing, Jim Kirk. A damn rare thing.” Leonard smiled softly, again, and reached out, taking one of Jim’s hands, squeezing it gently.

“What do I remind you of?” Jim asked, feeling suddenly small, vulnerable.

“O’ why I became a Doctor. Ta heal, an’ help where I could. ‘S’why you’re a counsellor now too, I’ll bet.”   
  
“I guess.” Jim said, unsure how to respond to the simple appreciation and faith being given to him. “Thanks. I’m sorry, that was...kind of a lot to deal with. A long story.”

“Don’t sweat it, Jim. ‘S’all good, if you are.”   
  
“Yeah.” Jim took a breath, clinging to the hand warm and heavy in his own. Steadying, grounding, like the cool sofa under him and the points of contact between his feet and the carpet. “I’ll be okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this was enjoyable! I'm excited to share this story with y'all!! <3
> 
> As ever, comments and kudos feed my dark, lonely, validation-craving soul!! Have a lovely day!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Bones try to arrange the situation so this time, one of them actually will call back to check in on the situation.
> 
> In which Jim decides he wants to try and adopt, Bones tries to help, and they are both just a little bit hopeless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya! BACK AFTER A LONG PAUSE!!! Sorry about that >< Sometimes, procrastination and my mental health sucker punches me. But! I'm back, it's all planned out, and should be only 2-3 more chapters! I'm gonna try and update at least once a week until this is done <3

They sat there in silence for a while, letting the story sink into the air around them. The quiet fell into their skin, their ears, filling Jim with a strange sense of calm and peace. He felt utterly wrung out from the emotional retelling of his story, and from the tiredness from the nerf battle, which seemed ridiculous, and so far away, now. He was brought back to himself by the feeling of Leonard gently tapping on his hand, rhythmically.

Jim looked up.

“Sorry. I zoned out for a bit there.”  
  
“Nothin’ ta worry abou’, darlin’. Y’ok?”  
  
“Yeah. Thanks. I just...do you think I’d be able to get custody of Erica?” Jim tugged at his sleeves, biting his lip as he stared at Leonard, as if Leonard himself was the arbiter of custody court rulings.

“I can’t say as I know, Jim. ‘M’sorry.” Leonard sighed, regretfully. He pulled his hand away from Jim’s, seeing he no longer needed the grounding sensation quite so much. “Wish I could tell ya it’d be easy, but I’m not sure how it’d go down, what with you not bein’ a relative.”

“I thought so.” Jim sounded defeated, resting his chin on his knees as he wrapped his arms around his shins, curling into himself sadly.

“Hey now, don’t give up yet!” Leonard said, attempting to bolster the man’s confidence back up. “After all, ya came after all this time. An’ you two have a link of a sort. Tell ya what,” Leonard stood, moving over to the desk in the corner of the room and rummaging through the drawers to retrieve an address book. “Ha! Here we go.”

Leonard handed Jim a spare copy of a business card, which Jim took, tentatively.

“Janice Rand?” He asked, curiously.  
  
“She was my lawyer against Jocelyn, an’ she did a damn fine job. I reckon, if anyone’d have a shot at gettin’ ya help, it’d be her.” Leonard smiled at Jim, searching his expression for optimism. 

“Right.” Jim frowned, then pocketed the card, expression clearing, resolve glinting in his eyes. His entire posture shifted, like it had in the car before, his shoulders squaring up to face the challenge. “Yeah. You’re right. I can do this. Right?” Jim unfolded himself from the sofa, standing to face Leonard.

“Sure ya can, kid. Y’know, I reckon you’re gonna win.” He grinned encouragingly at Jim. “I can feel it, in my old, Doctors bones.”

 “And in the meantime, she’s got you.”

“Damn righ’ she does.”

“Thanks for this. For everything.” Jim rested a hand on Leonard’s shoulder, watching him intently to try and convey the complicated tangle of emotions he felt.

“’T’ain’t a thing, Jim.” Leonard dismissed the thanks, uncomfortable with gratefulness and sincerity. There was something so arresting about being under Jim’s full attention that he instinctively wanted to shift, evade, keep himself from being pinned by the full force of his thoughts. He tried to tell himself that the feeling was platonic, but he wasn’t convincing anyone with that argument – except perhaps Jim.

“It’s definitely a thing!” Jim protested, but released Leonard from his grip. “And I’ve imposed on your hospitality enough, what with making you take me here and then dumping a whole load of issues on you, and now stealing your lawyer. I should go.”  
  
“Dammit, Jim, it ain’t stealin’ when I gave it freely, ya giant idiot. An’ if y’ain’t gonna stay an’ use the couch for sleepin’, at least let me drive ya back t’your bike!”

Jim seemed torn, so Leonard raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms stubbornly until Jim’s expression relented.

“Okay. Thanks, Bones!”

“C’mon, let’s go.” Leonard said, gruffly, ushering Jim through into the corridor as he went to toe on his boots and grab his jacket, keys shifting with a series of clinks in the pocket. “Hang on…why’d you call me Bones?”  
  
Jim followed him to the car, rucksack on his shoulder and a spring back in his step.

“Well, you said something about having old bones, and you needed a nickname!” Jim explained, brightly. He was still tapping his fingers on his leg, but he seemed a lot more stable and together now, back to the strange mixture of serious, earnest and mischievous which was so endearingly magnetic to Leonard.

“Really, Jim? How about you?” Leonard started up the car, keeping the house security system up on his phone just in case as he drove.

“Well, Jim’s a nickname. And you called me ‘kid’. Plus, you lied to me about your last bullet. It’s revenge, Bones!” Jim declared, grinning as he gestured dramatically, seeming to have quite forgotten his subdued panic, or even the awkwardness of not knowing each other. “And let me tell you, revenge tastes _sweet_.”

“Right, ‘cause ‘sweet’ suits me just great.” Leonard rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help the grin spreading across his features. “You’re kinda a brat about getting’ revenge, y’know that, kid?”  
  
“Yeah, well, you’re kind of a protective control freak, we all have our problems!” Jim looked pointedly at the house security system up on his phone.

“You say protective control freak, I say realistic about life’s dangers. Besides, it ain’t like I’d ever go over her boundaries. She gets her room, her phone, her privacy, an’ that means she ain’t gonna be scared t’come ta me if she’s in trouble. Like, well, like tonight.’ Leonard smiled, trying to ignore how he was a little worried that he was indeed going overboard on the protective front.

“Hey, I never said it was a bad thing.” Jim patted Leonard’s knee, and he swallowed, trying to hide that the contact felt soothing and good. “It’s cute. Honestly, it didn’t even occur to me that you might have tried to invade her privacy. You’re good like that. I can see why she’d be happy to come to you for help.”  
  
“I don’t usually go in for cute, but uh…thanks, Jim.” Leonard looked away. Something about how Jim spoke, opening up his thoughts and freely giving away praise and observations, hit him hard. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it wasn’t entirely comfortable either.

He was saved from coming up with something to distract them, by reaching the gates and Jim’s bike.

“Thanks for the ride, Bones. I appreciate it.”  
  
“Not a problem, kid.” Leonard watched as Jim sorted out his kit, his scruffy hair disappearing under the helmet. “Hey now, remember to let me know how it all goes! I’m lookin’ t’be seein’ a hell of a lot more of you, ‘cause when you get to look after Erica, I’m certain Jojo is gonna keep draggin’ her over for sleepovers.”  
  
“Honestly? Kinda want to keep seeing you either way.” Jim took a sharpie from his bag, and wrote something on Leonard’s arm – a number. “There, that’s in case the blanket fades out too much, or Erica doesn’t let you copy it down.” Jim put away the pen, and wound his arms around Leonard’s shoulders. Leonard could smell Jim’s citrus shampoo, and the sharp leather of his biking gear. When he released him, Leonard had to bite back a genuine whimper of disappointment, and smiled instead, finding himself surprisingly emotional, maybe due to the late hour, or the intensity of their interactions.

“Thanks.” Leonard said, his voice unstable, a little hoarse, and barely louder than a whisper.

“No worries. You’re part of my crew now, Bones. You’re not getting rid of me. Unless you want to.”  
  
Jim got on the bike, tipped a wink at Leonard, and drove off. Leonard stayed there in the warm darkness, wind tousling his hair, leaning against his car, until the buzz of the engine faded completely. On the way back, he found he kept looking at the number written in black on his arm. He smiled, softly. Part of Jim’s ‘crew’. He’d never really been part of someone’s crew before; the concept felt shockingly good.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim sets out on Mission Adopt Erica, and Leonard gets a taste of what it's like to be part of his 'crew'.

“So let me get this straight – _don’t snigger at that, Kirk, you know what I meant_ – you want to try and adopt a child?” Nyota raised an eyebrow at Jim, scrutinising him with intense concentration. The eyebrow and stiff posture reminded him so much of Spock that he grinned for a moment, and only widened the expression when she narrowed her eyes.

“Yep!” Jim, being a mature and responsible adult, made sure to pop the ‘p’. “What, you don’t think I’d be good at it?”

 “No,” Nyota said, her tone measured, though her posture was suspicious. “In point of fact, I believe you would make an excellent father. I’m just entirely uncertain as to _why_ ; and especially as to why _now_. You’re young, you’re single – you still ride a motorbike, for heaven’s sake!”

“People have adopted kids when single before. And when younger. And likely ones who do far more dangerous things on a regular basis.” Jim pointed out.

“True,” she conceded. “However, this still doesn’t answer my question about why you want to do this.”  
  
“It’s…” Jim hesitated, and looked away. “It’s complicated, Ny. All I can say is – I’m not totally prepared, and this is spur of the moment. But I guarantee I’m not going to change my mind – and I know the kid already. I kind of looked after the kid before.” Jim bit his lip, not able to meet Nyota’s curious eyes. “Uh, if you want to know more, you’re going to have to ask Spock. He’s the only person I explained it to. Except Pike, that is. Oh, and Bones, I guess.” Jim gave a surprised smile at that.

“Okay.” Jim blinked at Nyota, who rolled her eyes and ruffled his hair for good measure. “Don’t look at me like that, I said okay. You’re not a child, Jim. In fact, you’re a remarkably good man. If you don’t want to explain it fully, but you’re certain this is what you want to do, that’s alright. And – look, it will absolutely torture me, but if you’re uncomfortable, I can promise not to ask Spock about it.”  
  
Jim stared at her, his eyes bright, overwhelmed by the matter-of-fact support, and by the offer to respect his privacy even in the face of his attempt to give explanations.

“I wouldn’t have said you could ask Spock if I didn’t mean it, Ny. But thanks.” Jim took her hand, impulsively, and squeezed it. “You’re a wonderful friend, you know that, right?”

“Oh, stop it, you think you’re so charming, don’t you?” Nyota smiled anyway, and stood to look through her desk. “Now – do you have a lawyer to hand, or should I start looking for one?”  
  
“Well, actually I got recommended one. Janice Rand – have you heard of her?”

“Rand? Janice Rand?” Nyota turned to Jim. “Yes, I’ve heard of her. She’s good. She has a means-tested approach to fees, too, which I strongly approve of. I’ve been trying to get her to join our legal team for years, but she keeps saying she prefers to freelance.”

“Well then. Guess I’ll ask her if she’ll bat for me!” Jim nodded, as if confirming it to himself, and took out her card from his pocket.

“Who is doing what with small flying rodents for you, Jim?” Spock entered the living room, an amused smirk curled onto his lips.

“We both know that you understood what I meant.” Jim said, but he laughed anyway. “I’m adopting Erica.”  
  
Spock stiffened, his hand, which had moved to loosely rest on Nyota’s shoulder, tightened its grip a little. Then he relaxed, and nodded.

“I see. Quite the endeavour. May I enquire as to why you wish to? Aside the obvious. Do you –“ Spock stopped speaking, looking at Nyota apologetically. Their silent communication through glances and meaningful eyebrow raises was going to ensue, Jim just knew it. So he broke in before they could get wrapped up in each other and forget all about him being in the room.

“Ny can know, Spock. I just want to, uh, not be here when you explain. If that’s okay?”  
  
“Of course.” Spock looked back up to Jim. “I believe I am familiar with the name ‘Rand’.”  
  
“Yes – I keep trying to recruit her.” Nyota explained, her hand moving up to rest over Spock’s.

“No,” Spock said, after considering for a moment. “In fact, I believe ‘Rand’ is the name of the lawyer employed by the southern Doctor Jim was fond of, to regain custody of his daughter.”

“How do you know that?” Nyota and Jim asked in unison.

“I wished to follow the case. I confess that seeing a situation to its full conclusion brings me a certain level of satisfaction. An entirely logical precept, naturally.” Spock said, with a wry smile ghosting over his lips. “As Jim does not have access to Nyota’s recruitment files, and has a tendency to optimise his use of resources in a manner which would typically mean he simply requested you for a recommendation, I am most curious about how you obtained Janice Rand’s card.”  
  
“Well, it’s a long story…”  
  
Spock moved to sit on the sofa next to Nyota, and raised an eyebrow. Jim sighed, and gathered his thoughts.

“So, I got a phonecall…”

* * *

 

Jim started awake to the sound of his phone announcing a message. He fumbled for the phone, the hand not occupied doing this carefully peeling the paper off his cheek.

“Huh?” his voice was gravelly from sleep, as he gradually took in the fact that this was his old phone, and that he had clearly fallen asleep at Spock and Nyota’s table. One of the printed adoption papers floated slowly to the ground from where it had stuck on his forehead. “Who on earth is texting me?”

He unlocked the phone and read over the text, and instantly smiled subconsciously, brushing his free hand over his face to make sure all the paper was gone, before running it through his messy hair. He knew Leonard couldn’t actually see him, but somehow he felt like he ought to be more presentable even through the phone.

_Hey there, Jim – just wanted to check in and see how things’re going? – Leonard/Bones_

Jim could almost hear Bones’ voice, the southern twang wrapping around the words through his low, warm tone.

_Thanks, Bones! I’ve been up reading adoption papers, and I’m meeting with Rand today. Apparently the outlook is good! Mostly thanks to you! – Jim_

He put down the phone, and turned to try and make his way to the kitchen for some coffee.

“Spock!” Jim moved forward, trying to acknowledge his friend, and ended up colliding solidly with the chair. He doubled over, clutching at his knee and dropping the phone. “Morning!” He gritted out a greeting, biting back swear words and cringing while he processed the pain and it faded to a dull ache.

“I apologise for inadvertently causing your collision, Jim.” Spock said, serene as ever.

“Yeah, well, it’s alright. You have this habit of being really quiet and sneaking up on people unintentionally.” Jim picked up the phone and left it on the desk, pushing the chair out of the way this time, passing Spock to head into the kitchen and grab some mugs. “Coffee?”  
  
“That would be amenable. Nyota has already left for work, however I have a day off.” Spock explained, refraining from commenting on the fact that Jim knew their house so well he could offer him coffee in his own house. He raised an eyebrow instead, and Jim grinned back shamelessly.

“Look, it’s not my fault you two let me stay overnight so often! Besides, Scotty and Chekov both stay here regularly and you know it!” Jim set the coffee to brew, turning to face Spock, who was carefully not smirking.

“Indeed. Though the latter has been staying with Hikaru a great deal of late.” Spock leaned against the counter, watching Jim carefully. “It would seem romance is, as they say, ‘in the air’.”  
  
“Yep – I’m pretty sure Pavel and Hikaru are crushing on each other, it’s adorable.” Jim poured out the coffee and handed a mug to Spock, deliberately ignoring the sly insinuation of the last part of Spock’s speech.

“And who, exactly, were you texting, that made you so distracted you failed to notice me?” Spock took a sip of his coffee, while Jim coughed loudly.

“I don’t know what you – I mean – oh fine, shut up! It was Bones, okay. He said he’d check in and this time he actually did. It doesn’t mean anything!” Jim cradled his coffee to his chest defensively.

“Perhaps,” Spock conceded, gracefully. “And yet I cannot help but wonder; your crush on him has not abated since he became a reality over a fantasy in your life. Leonard is also single, and bisexual – facts that he himself has openly expressed. Is there a reason you have not decided to pursue him?”  
  
“Pursue – you make it sound like some kind of courtship!” Jim exclaimed, forgetting his denial for a moment. “Not that I’d want to. Or maybe I would. But either way, it would be really weird to come on to him while I’m in the middle of trying to get custody of his daughter’s best friend!” 

“And so you choose to do nothing? That in uncharacteristically passive of you, Jim.”  
  
“I didn’t say I was going to do nothing – just, not doing anything yet. Once this is over? Then I’ll think about it. That way nobody can say I tried to influence his testimony or something. Plus, it becomes way less weird once this is done.” Jim explained, taking another gulp of overly-warm coffee to try and stop his babbling.

“Good.” Spock said, simply. “It seems that he makes you happy, from what Nyota and myself have observed. We both – we all – wish for you to be happy.”  
  
“Thanks, Spock. I appreciate it, really. And I’m glad you seem to be willing to accept him as part of our crew. But if any of you so much as hint about any of this to Bones, I will actually murder you.”  
  
“You may try.” Spock responded, and walked out of the kitchen, steaming coffee mug in hand, leaving Jim to stare after him with a resigned expression.

“Yeah. So. I think I should probably warn Bones that something is coming for him.” Jim said to himself, draining his mug and wincing at the warmth.

_Hey, Bones – just a heads up, some of my friends might try and visit you. Can’t explain it, they get kind of protective sometimes? They mean well, I promise! – Jim_

Jim sent the text, and resumed poring over papers until he had to head out to meet with Rand. As he kitted up to bike over to her office, his phone pinged.

_Thanks for the warning, kid. Don’t worry – ain’t exactly overwhelmed with company over here. Don’t mind me a bit of friendly folks visiting. – Bones_

Jim replied with a smiling emoticon, and on arrival, was promptly subsumed by paperwork and case-building. He spotted Bones’ testimony in amongst others, and grinned to himself. Eventually, Rand decided they had sufficient information for her to gather a file together ready for the following week, and the trial.

Jim emerged, hair utterly ruffled and exhausted, and checked his phone, finding a string of messages that made him grin like a maniac.

_Hey, Jim, you ever heard of some guy called ‘cupcake’? ‘Cause Nyota said I should ask you to ‘find out about your delinquent past’ or somesuch? – Bones_

_Jim, I don’t think Spock likes me. He spent the entire time staring at me and then tried to correct the magnification on one of my samples, ‘cept it was actually the jerk who shares my labspace’s not mine, and he looked so disappointed I hadn’t make a mistake I almost felt bad for not screwin’ up! – Bones_

_Damn, kid, you sure meant it about the visitors! First those two rock up during my morning break, now I got some crazy Scottish fixer-upper re-doing the blinds in my office while he rambles about how if I hurt anyone he’ll come at me with a goddamn spanner. The hell kinda friends d’you have? I reckon I like ‘em. – Bones_

_Spock came back for my afternoon break, without his girlfriend, and I’m 99% sure he hates me. No, I’m sorry, 99.9%, ‘cause apparently everything needs decimal goddamn points! To make it all worse, turns out my senior nurse, Chapel, knows Nyota and Spock, and now I gotta go to some damn birthday social event at work an’ it’s all your fault! I’m being dragged away from being anti-social, which I’d normally deploy my glare for, but all it does is make the damn man smirk and raise his eyebrow like a cat with some cream! – Bones_

_Dammit, Jim. If this is what being part of your crew means? Havin’ pesky visitors and being forced into socialising and all that. Hell. Guess I like it. Apparently you’re still in with Rand, so I’ll leave you be now, but good luck. – Bones_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all!! I'm sorry I'm SO slow to update, I've been having a weird brain-state recently, and it's SO BOILING HOT where I live rn that I'm struggling to think clearly at all. Hopefully this is ok, and I'm gonna try and upload another chapter as soon as I can!!! <3


	7. The Trial Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim's trial for custody of Erica is held, and he finally gets to orchestrate his plan to hold Bones' hand.

They were waiting for the trial to conclude. They hovered around the doors as the verdict was being considered; the only one of Jim’s friends absent was Scotty. Even Chris was there, the threads of grey at his temples only being accelerated by the situation.

“I assume you are the infamous ‘Bones’?” He shook Leonard’s hand and looked him over appraisingly.

“Dr. Leonard McCoy. Pleasure t’meet ya.” Leonard stood tall, inexplicably nervous, as he introduced himself. He shook Chris’ hand firmly. “I’m guessin’ you’re Chris Pike?”  
  
“That’s right.” Chris’ eyes narrowed at him. “I hear your girl called in to our helpline, and that’s how you originally met my Jim?”  
  
“That she did. An’ I gotta say, I’m mighty grateful as she got the advice an’ help she needed. Even if I gave poor Jim a hard time of it ‘til he explained what my b- my ex said to her.” Leonard knew he was being honest, that he was straightforward and a decent person. But something about Chris Pike’s examination was fraying his nerves, until he began to wonder if he wasn’t hiding being a serial killer from himself somehow. 

“I believe,” Spock interjected, his tone and expression holding a trace of infuriating amusement. “Leonard employed the most admirable phrasing of ‘ _She can bite my fuckin’ ass_ ’.”

Chris raised an eyebrow, first at Spock – who smirked, with his usual understated mischief – and then at Leonard. He felt himself colouring, and coughed to try and cover it.

“In my defence, she was hurtin’ Jo. I got a bit of a blind spot when it comes t’people hurtin’ kids. Somethin’ about it just bypasses my social correctness an’ goes righ’ ta my sense of common decency.” Leonard distantly hoped that one day his bluntness would not land him in trouble. Preferably this day.

“Good man. I can see why Jim likes you, son.” Chris slapped him on the back, bracingly, and strode off to talk to Sulu.

Leonard let himself fold against the wall. A shadow cast over his vision and he looked up to find Spock looming over him. 

“Could ya cough, or step louder, or somethin’? You’re gonna give someone a damn heart attack if ya keep just appearin’ like that.” Leonard griped, relief making him somewhat crabby.

“I do not see why I should constrain my natural stealth, nor how it might have a detrimentary impact on your cardiac function.” Spock responded, glibly.

Now Leonard knew how to spot it, his smile was an almost permanent feature. It made his otherwise dry, factual statements into a drier wit that made him grin right back.

“Thanks, by the way.” Leonard added. Spock stared at him unblinkingly for a long moment, then nodded.

“Of course, Leonard. Your temper and protectiveness does you much credit. As does your work, and even your presence here to support Jim. My choice to paraphrase your words was designed to indicate my approval of your position in Jim’s life, which in turn influences Chris’ attitude greatly. I did, however, leave out the reference to your sexuality. I was not sure if you would elect to privacy out of choice.” Spock said all this in much the same way he had previously commented on Leonard’s suture techniques, and the weather, and the beauty of the elaborate braid Nyota had worn her hair in that day. Somehow, though, as was always the case with him, his eyes revealed a warm depth of emotion. 

“Like I said,” Leonard repeated, softly. “Thanks.”

 

* * *

 

Jim stumbled through the large doors. Immediately, everyone crowded in around him – so much that Leonard couldn’t see his expression. He heard a faint murmur, and then Jim was shouting.

“We did it!” The whole crowd cheered, Chekov practically flattening Jim in his haste to hug him. Chris patted Jim on the back and left, seeming in a hurry. Leonard assumed he had delayed a business meeting so he could find out the outcome.

Finally, Jim looked over at him, and Leonard couldn’t help but reflect his broad grin. 

“Hey, I knew you’d get this.” Leonard smiled supportively. “And y’know if you need a babysitter or anythin’ you just gotta-“

His arms were abruptly full of Jim, and he hugged him back instead of finishing the sentence. Jim’s grip was tight, and he curled into the embrace, burrowing his nose in the crook of Jim’s shoulder. He could feel Jim’s excitement, his rapidly thrumming pulse and his fingers tapping excitedly on his shoulders. When Jim extricated himself from the hug, Leonard quickly pushed down the undoubtedly smitten look on his face, letting his grin take hold again. 

“We did it, Bones!” Jim was still standing very close, his eyes bright and somehow grateful.  
  
“It was all you, kid.” Leonard said, gruffly. “There ain’t a court in the world that’d think you’re not fit ta look after Erica.”

“Come on – it’s almost the end of school. We can pick up Jo and Erica and they can have ice cream and a sleepover, to celebrate!” Jim grabbed Leonard’s wrist, and he let himself be dragged along in Jim’s exuberant wake.

Despite not having known Jim’s gaggle of friends for long – his _crew_ , he remembered – they all seemed to just accept that he was inevitably along for the ride. They crowded into various cars, and Nyota texted both he and Jim the name of the restaurant they would be at.

He only realised fully what was happening as he was pulling up at the pick-up spot. 

“When exactly did I agree to come ta the party? Just curious.” Leonard asked, aiming the question at the air in the car rather than Jim himself.

“It’s okay! Christine said she would babysit, and that I should make sure you had some fun.”  
  
“Of course she did.” Leonard responded, darkly. He would have to have words with how much Christine seemed to be aiding and abetting the destruction of his carefully cultivated isolation.

“She also said that I should brace myself for Jo’s shovel talk. I have to say, if she’s that protective of Erica that she threatened me back then, I don’t doubt that she’ll be terrifying when she knows I’m asking you on a date.” Jim grinned at him. Leonard blinked slowly.

“When she knows that what, now?” Leonard began, but just then the school bell rang, and they both stood, scanning the small sea of students for their charges.

“Daddy!” Jo threw herself at Leonard, and he wrapped his arms around her carefully. “If Jim’s with you does that mean that-“ She broke off, releasing Leonard in favour of watching Erica and Jim.

Erica gave Jim a small wave, and Jim grinned, waving back at her.

“Hey, Erica! So, it’s probably obvious but, well. You get to live with me, now, like we talked about, remember?” Jim scuffed his feet on the grass, nervously.

“Really?” Erica’s voice was small, scared.

“Yep.” Jim ran a hand through his hair. Before he could resort to awkward dancing, Erica began to smile.

“I’m really glad, Jim.” She stepped towards him and tentatively wrapped her arms around him. Her satchel was obviously digging into Jim’s legs, but he didn’t seem to mind. “I was scared they wouldn’t let you.”  
  
“So was I.” Jim said, softly, and then released her, his blue eyes suspiciously shiny. “Hey, but the best part is, you get to have that sleepover we planned!”  
  
“Awesome!” Erica bounced on her toes in excitement, and dashed over to Jo, who immediately grabbed her waist and lifted her up. Erica squealed and flailed until Jo collapsed, the pair of them landing on the grass, giggling.

“Careful!” Leonard said automatically, and heard Jim’s voice saying the exact same thing in tandem. They looked over at each other and grinned.

Jo, Erica, Jim and Leonard all piled into the car, and Leonard dropped them off at his house. Christine had already arrived.

After brief congratulations, Leonard gathered his coat, and hovered in the door, waiting for Jim so they could drive to the restaurant. After a few minutes, he decided to move to the living room door, as quietly as possible. He could hear Christine helping Erica organise the sofa in Jo’s room into a bed, so he knew the two people in the living room had to be Jim and Jo. He listened in, curiously.

 

* * *

 

“So. You’re takin’ my dad to a restaurant?” Jo sounded a little like she had when she questioned Jim on Erica’s behalf. It made Leonard want to hug her and also tell her that she should not need to look out for him – he was a fully grown adult. Even if her protectiveness was endearing. And hereditary.

“Well, uh, yeah.” Jim replied. As ever, he seemed to level with her completely. No condescension or amusement, just genuine. “I like him. Quite a lot, actually. And I think – I hope – he likes me too.”  
  
“He does.” Jo replied with certainty. “Dad, he thinks I don’t notice, but…he’s been alone a while now. He’s happy, sorta. ‘Specially since he got me from – from Jocelyn. But I’m small – don’t tell him I said that! Christine is his friend, but apart from that he doesn’t have anyone. An’ I reckon you’re a good person. Y’looked after Erica an’ you came for her, an’ so I’m giving you a chance. ‘Cause he likes you. He smiles when he talks about you, y’know. But if you hurt him, I’ll tear your eyeballs out with a hot pair of tongs an’ make you eat them.”  
  
Leonard’s chest felt like it was being crushed and swelling all at once. He hated how Jo still struggled to name Jocelyn, how she had noticed his isolation. But he was so painfully proud that she was handling everything so well, and beyond amused by her choice of threat. He shoved his knuckles in his mouth to stifle his teary laughter.

“Jo, if I hurt Leonard, I promise, I’ll take the tongs to myself.” Jim said, gently.

“Thought so.” Leonard could picture exactly the jut of her chin that accompanied that tone of Jo’s voice. “Hey, Daddy, you can come out from behind the door now. Jim didn’t laugh at me, so I think it’s kinda unfair you did!”

“Sorry, Jojo.” He emerged from behind the door, unsurprised that he’d been caught. “It was the line abou’ the tongs that did it, darlin’. Should I be vetting your movies more thoroughly, ‘cause that was unnervingly creative.”

“Nope. The tongs thing was all me.” Jo said, sweetly. She stood on tiptoe and kissed Leonard’s cheek, turning to look at Jim again. “He’s all yours. Remember. Tongs.” She gave Jim the universal ‘I’m watching you’ sign, and retreated backwards out of the door. They both stood in slightly stunned silence, hearing the thump of her feet up the stairs.

“So. She’s just as protective as I’d been told, huh.” Jim commented, carefully controlled amusement apparent in his voice. 

“Apparently so. Really, I ain’t got a clue where she gets it from.” Leonard replied dryly. “Shall we?” He offered Jim his arm. Jim took it, with a blinding grin.

“Such a gentleman. Lead on, Bones!”

* * *

 

The dinner had been a rousing success. Jim’s entire crew except Christine were there, and Chris even brought his husband Phil along. It was a blur of friendly faces and gentle teasing, and altogether far more human contact than Leonard was used to.

He retreated to the small garden area – distinctly unpopulated this late in the evening – and sipped at a small glass or bourbon.

“You ok?”

Leonard turned to find Jim approaching, holding a glass of what appeared to be plain water.

“I’m good. It was jus’ all a bit much after a while.”  
  
“Yeah. They’re great, but they can be overwhelming if you’re not used to them.” Jim settled beside him, leaning on the wall and letting his shoulder nudge against Leonard’s. “But other than that – is this ok?”  
  
“Which part?” Leonard felt Jim’s free hand trace a burning line down from his elbow to his hand, and laced their fingers together. He barely felt able to look at Jim without being overwhelmed.

“This.” Jim said, voice soft. Calmer than Leonard had heard him before. Soothing. “Us? Us being an us at some point?”  
  
“Yeah.” Leonard breathed, letting himself look across to find Jim regarding him intently. “It’s very much okay, Jim.”  
  
“Good.” Jim gently took Leonard’s glass from him, and clasped his other hand, crowding him against the wall. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you since I heard your voice. Literally. Could I?”  
  
Leonard nodded, his words utterly stolen by the delicious sensation of Jim’s warmth seeping through their clothes. His lips parted unconsciously, and then they were kissing, chaste and ever so sweetly. He could feel how Jim’s lips were a little chapped, taste the cherry in his lip balm. The solidity of his chest, the tickling whisper of his breath across his neck as Jim withdrew and laughed. Leonard felt giddy, ached to kiss him again. He wanted to run his hands through Jim’s ridiculously messy hair, to find out how best to tease him – and those piercings gave him so very many options it made his head spin with the possibilities.

“Hey, Jim.” He said, his voice sounding low and rough even to his own ears. Jim bit his lip, grinning again at the sound, which made Leonard feel victorious even though he hadn’t done much to achieve victory other than be happily overwhelmed by Jim’s presence.

“He-ey.” Leonard was gratified to hear a hitch in Jim’s voice as he leaned in to press a soft kiss to his neck. “Wanna come back to my place? I haven’t drunk anything, I can drive. We could watch a movie. And uh, kiss. More kissing sounds like a really nice plan to me.” Jim managed to get out the words, formulating the plan through Leonard’s gentle kisses.

“Sounds like a good plan ta me, Jim.” Leonard grinned. “Sounds a little extra-planned. Y’didn’t even drink. So you could drive. Were you plannin’ on corruptin’ my innocence, tonight, Mr Kirk?”  
  
“I’ll corrupt your innocence however much you want me to, Bones.” Jim said, sounding serious despite the smile lingering on his features. “I can drop you home if you like?”  
  
“Hey,” Leonard protested, grabbing one of Jim’s hands before he could retreat. “I believe you promised somethin’ about a movie an’ kisses. Ain’t no way I’m missin’ out on that.”

Jim nodded, and crowded up against him again, licking Leonard’s mouth open gently, his hands sliding lower, one slipping into Leonard’s back pocket. Leonard moaned into the kiss, and then again when Jim moved back with a grin.

“Keys.” Jim said, by way of explanation, dangling the keys to Leonard’s car in his face. They had been in his back pocket.

“You, Jim Kirk,” Leonard said, stifling a laugh. “Are a goddamn tease. Now drive me home, an’ make good.”  
  
“It’d be my pleasure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND SO IT IS ENDED!!!! :D FINALLY!!! I'm sorry this took so goddamn long! Hopefully it was worth the wait <333

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you've enjoyed this fic! It's now (finally) concluded! I hope it was fun to read :) I'm not entirely happy with the pacing and how I wrote it all, but I wanted to just get it out there or I'd have spent forever obsessing. So here is the imperfect but at least actually finished version :D  
> As ever, comments and kudos feed my dark and lonely soul! <3


End file.
